Life's Challenges
by eboneya
Summary: After one of the happiest days she had ever had Sydney's life is shattered.


Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did I wouldn't have written this. Spoilers: None that I can think of. Summery: After one of the happiest days she had ever had Sydney's life is shattered. Rating: Pg. AN: Please, please, please R/R!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Life's Challenges  
  
He's gone. He's really gone. Out of all the things I expected to happen in our life together, this has got to be the worst. I mean, I had only seen him the night before. He had stayed with us in the hospital until a nurse came in and threatened to knock him out and drag him home herself. Even then he resisted until she went to retrieve a bat from the front desk. As he kissed and whispered "I love you" to both of us, I never guessed that would be the last time I would see him alive. See his gorgeous eyes or his special smile he reserved only for me.  
  
The day I lost him is burnt into my memory forever. It was around 11.30 in the morning. He had visited me earlier that morning but didn't want to wake me, or so I'm told. My dad was with me then. I was tired and sore, but deliriously happy. But that wasn't to last. A knock on the door of the room interrupted a conversation between my dad and me. When I looked up the smile fell from my face. One of the two police officers stepped into the room. "Are you Sydney?" She asked. Nodding I replied, "Yes." "There was a robbery at a gas station about 20 blocks from here," the second said stepping into the room with his partner. "Someone went in and tried to restrain the offender. He was killed." I failed to see what this had to so with me, but I would soon find out and it would shatter my world and my heart. The first officer took another step closer and said, "I'm sorry. The man killed was your husband." I don't remember much after that except my father's arms around my and the tears streaking down my face. My husband, Michael Vaughn, my guardian angel, was gone.  
  
That was 3 days ago. Now, as I sit here and feed my 4 day old daughter I realise just how much she already looks like her father. She has Michael's deep green eyes and dimple in her chin. I didn't know I had as many tears as I've cried over the last 3 days. The love of my life is dead. You know it's funny, I always thought it would be our jobs that killed either now of us. Not some stupid teenager drugie who needed money fast. Like Noah and Danny, Michael died. I knew I had no control over the situation but I still managed to blame myself. If only I had told the nurse the night before to let him stay or if only I had woken up when he was here that morning. But seeing Ella, our baby girl, this morning for the first time since the news I realised something. No mater what happens I will always love him. And when he died, a part of me died with him. But just because my heart was shattered for the last time, doesn't mean I'll stop living. I brought down SD-6 for Danny, now I'll live again for Michael. I owe it to him and to Ella. I will not love again but I will live. It will be hard for Ella, growing up without her father. Always wondering what he was like, what he did. It will be hard for me to answer them too. But Michael will be there watching over us, making sure everything turns out all right. Our Guardian Angel.  
  
16 years later.  
  
I stood back and watched my daughter blow out the candles on her birthday cake. She's now 16 years old and so much like her father. She has his eyes, sandy brown hair, dimples, questioning nature and stubborn streak. I am so proud of her. She can speak every language as fluently as I can, she can do just about anything physically possible with her body, not to mention talk her way out of any situation. The CIA already has her down for recruitment when she finishes school. Michael would be proud. Somewhere, I know he is . I have one more present for Ella. The silver antique frame Michael gave me the first Christmas we knew each other. In it I put a photo she hasn't seen before. It's of all 3 of us an hour after she was born. Both of us were looking at her with so much love. There's a letter with the it explaining it's significance. After she'd opened it, looked at the photo and read the letter, she was crying. Throwing her arms around me she whispered, "I love you and dad, so much." Sniffing back tears I replied, "I love you too sweetie. So does your father. Wherever he is, he's watching over you." Teary smiles came to those who knew about the frame and gentle similes to those who only knew it had something to do with Michael.  
  
The next day we visited Michael's grave, like we did every year. I watched Ella 'talk' to her father. She was growing up so fast. The last 16 years had gone by so quickly. Although I miss Michael every minute of every day, I have no regrets. The time we had together was happy. We loved each other and made sure the other know it. When he died, I knew he loved me and Ella with his whole heart and I know he knew we loved him just as much. I began to walk forward as Ella stood, pushed back a curl of hair, said something and kissed the headstone. She smiled and touched my arm as we passed. Giving me added strength. I knelt down at his grave and placed a single white rose next to the bunch of Tulips Ella had brought. "Hey honey. We did good with her," I said, looking back at Ella. "She reminds my so much of you. God I miss you so much. I never have and never will love someone as much as I love you, Michael." A gentle breeze came up and brushed at my hair. Closing my eyes, I could almost feel his fingers brush my cheek. When I opened my eyes I smiled up at the sky as a lone tear fell down my cheek. "I'll see you again one day my love." As I walked back towards Ella and my life I knew that Michael was watching over us and would make sure everything turned out all right. I has survived the hardest of life's challenges. 


End file.
